Homosexuality has been the hot topic of discussion among Singaporeans for the past year. In particular, the debate has centered around Section 377A of the Singapore Penal Code, which forbids men from having sex with one another in public or private.

Section 377A of the Singapore Penal Code
Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years.

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The 20 Sep 2007 edition of URBAN highlighted the growing numbers of teenagers in Singapore undergoing plastic cosmetic surgery. Renowned cosmetic surgeon Woffles Wu reports that teenagers now form 35 percent of his patients. Other cosmetic surgeons in the island report that up to a third of their patients are teenagers.

Teenagers today face a whole swath of psychological issues even as their physiology is still evolving. Chief among these is insecurity. Many teenagers would openly admit to being dissatisfied with their physical features. This perception is further perpetuated by the media. Celebrities and models with flawless features are flashed prominently across the front pages of many magazines and newspapers. Picture-perfect singers grace the covers of their CDs. Everywhere, everytime, these growing youths are bombarded with the pressure to look good in an image-conscious society.

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It made headlines in many Singapore newspapers. It was recently the subject of much disputation within the discussion boards of many Singapore forums. Many bloggers sounded off on the subject. It was even the point of contention in a debate in the 2nd semi-final round of ‘The Arena’. The topic? Elitism among Singapore students.

Indeed, this discussion has been simmering for quite some time now. Much like a volcano building up pressure, elitism has been a point of many a heated debate among parents, educators, politicians and students for years. Only now has it erupted with such violent force into the public arena, prompting volatile responses from students and provoking politicians to examine its causes and consequences.

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